Unveiling this masquerade, no need to fool anyone with this charade


Shedding the pain, these are the tears I cry

Trembling inside, of course there are plenty I fear

Never weak, always open to reveal my vulnerable side

Stand corrected, here a lioness resides

Fierce in my delivery, my aggression is my frustration

Finding my voice, muffled and lost someplace in the crowd

Forgive my abrasiveness, as I thug and pull

Brushing my way through

Time has proven to be the enemy

Through many leaps, true faith revealed!

Stripped and exposed

In this authenticity I relish




As women we spend a significant amount of our adult years in search of our true essensce, I am still on my journey. I leave you with a little piece of my freedom as I quiet the outside chatter allowing for the voice inside of me to become more profound and louder....LOUDER!

Once upon a time when I turned Fabulously 30-LIVING by my own rules.

I am feeling exceptionally bold today so please forgive me for what I am about to

say or perhaps I speak for many that are creeping up on the big 30 or have

already arrived. I am closing my eyes and I am going in so here goes!

I have spent most of my adult years spotlighting other people's talents and

while I have met some incredible, talented, and accomplished individuals-it

finally hit home one day while sitting alone on Christmas eve in what was then

an empty apartment. I asked 'where is my life going?' and if I could write my

own story 'how would it start, unfold?'.

I write these words for all you ladies out there that are taking this journey

with me as we search for self, our place in the world, Love, career, financial

independence, and those yearning for that zest to LIVE.

May today be the first day of the rest of our lives because here is the key to

attaining everything that your heart desires, it’s no BIG secret and thank

goodness its no science-whew what a relief! LIVE BY YOUR OWN RULES!

Like many of my closest girlfriends-we are free and creative spirits but society

has often jaded us into believing that our lives all consist of some kind of

blueprint for all to follow. Who are we kidding? I know for sure that I have not

followed that blueprint-I am more than content with that. So here is where I say

the heck with what other people think but instead ask - what makes my heart

sing? What makes my soul open up to my greatest creation yet? Are you still with

me?

I also write this in part with turning these frustrations into mere fascination.

People did warn me about turning 30, they said 'your body will feel things that

you have never thought possible'. I can only find one word to describe the

sensation, in short 'WOW'! I am also a lot more bold and for those that thought

I was honest before, please don't ask me for my opinion unless you really want

to hear the truth. And rejection is the thing of the past, it only fules me to

thrive for more because after all 'what have I got to lose?!'

I am finally over living up to other people's standards, it feels like the

weight of the world has been lifted off my back.

I am writing MY story, HER story, OUR story. Promise me that together we will

rip up these blueprints- make our own rules. Remember you are the TRUTH!

I am back in my apartment but this time not so quiet-the sound of music fills

the air- blaring television and ahh the sweet sound of my girls chasing and

yelling at each other-I love this beautiful disaster!

This is my story, MY RULES!

MAMA Africa: Journey to the Motherland

By: Lucy Coutinho I was once told how fortunate I am to know my roots, to be able to speak the language of my ancestors. I never perceived understanding where my people and I come from to be a privilege because it is all I have ever known. It was a revelation that stunned me that many are in search for the truth about their ancestry. There is so much to be said about African culture and its people. I invite you as we take this excursion together. My roots are heavily planted in Cape Verde, an island country spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean just off the coast of Western Africa. I grew up in a household where we often spoke various languages such as English, Portuguese and Cape Verdean Creole. Cape Verde’s dry, tropical environment and its Portuguese colonization have shaped our cooking traditions, Africans brought knowledge of growing and cooking tropical crops and the Portuguese brought livestock. Our traditional music is a fusion of European, African, and Latin influences, with famous styles such as Morna and Funana. The late and Grammy Award-winning singer, CesariaEvora (The Barefoot Diva) exemplified and expounded the traditional sounds of Morna. The Batuko, an African-influenced dance dates back to slavery, where woman take turns at dancing progressively faster, while others beat the rhythm on rolled up cloth. Rich in its diversity, there is simply no way of knowing or identifying the look of the Cape Verdean People. The African continent has a full spectrum of skin tones and hair textures. For a moment journey back to the Motherland in all of its beauty and cultural richness. Imagine for a moment you can journey to some of the countries of Africa, no one is the same and each exuding its own unique beauty. Our first destination is the capital city of Angola; Luanda, a vibrant tourist area, rapidly becoming a must-see tourist attraction offering a tropical climate, opportunity to experience wildlife, beautiful landscapes, rivers, jungles, and mountain sceneries. Not to mention the taste of the mouth-watering traditional Angolan cuisine with strong Portuguese influence. Venturing away from the South Atlantic Ocean, to the North Atlantic Ocean is Senegal; the capital Dakar is one of West Africa’s most popular destinations, its attractions vibrant and lively city with colorful markets and a great nocturnal scene. There is so much more to be explored such as pretty beaches, lagoons, and rivers. If this is not enough to convince you, this Senegal native may just be able to do just that, “My Motherland is the reflection of the beauty of the Nile River. Welcome peacefully on the green land, the continent of proud men. The scents, smiles, drums and the beauty are the essence of our lives. Unified, as one, success and glory will be at our feet.”Pride continues to echo throughout the continent, we have yet so much more to uncover together. Situated on the Indian Ocean, Kenya is East Africa’s main tourist destination where many travel to see the world’s best Safari. An interesting fact about Kenya is its multi-ethnic population, with neighboring countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia as it reflects its cultural richness. And now let’s journey off to my most recent discovery and a country that I have truly found myself enthralled with, although I have not yet visited Namibia. Drawing visitors from various parts of the world with its alluring beauty, this South African country will be sure to stun you with its cosmopolitan city Windhoek. Adorned with sophisticated hotels and shops, if vibrancy is what you are seeking than you will get just that. With beach and wildlife attraction, the choices are vast; it comes as no surprise why many choose Namibia for their vacation destination. Not wanting to forget the many other countries in Africa such as Ghana, Liberia, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, just to name of few that are all worth the exploration. We may not all find our roots someplace planted in Africa however it’s worthy of vastness and uniqueness in which it’s proudly named the Motherland. As you may be on your own quest, I hope that you are a day closer to your own personal understanding.